The Unexpected Benefits of Form Simplicity for Agents

When America locked down, real estate agents already using a digital transaction management program had an immediate advantage. As working remotely became the new normal for months, having every document, every email, and every text associated with each transaction located in one place, online and accessible 24-7, was a priceless timesaver.

Overnight, transaction management software became the new "must-have" for every active real estate agent. For Form Simplicity from the Florida Realtors®, product training classes went online and were packed. As a result, a record number of agents attended training provided virtually by Form Simplicity in 2020. By mid-year, attendance exceeded all training provided the entire prior year.

These were some of the unexpected consequences of the pandemic. As agents clamored to solutions that helped them work better remotely, real estate technology software saw record adoption rates as more agents went digital and paperless.

Form Simplicity's growth accelerated over the last 18 months. From Alabama to Oregon, Georgia to Missouri, Form Simplicity continues to expand its presence nationwide. As one of the real estate industry's most popular and advanced digital transaction management solutions, Form Simplicity recently began providing services to nearly 100,000 Realtor members, including Missouri REALTORS, Georgia REALTORS, and Alabama REALTORS, and subscribers of Oregon Real Estate Forms (owned by the Eugene Association of Realtors and the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors).

Unexpected agent benefits

Support

When real estate agents begin using Form Simplicity, they discover benefits they were unaware of before going digital. At the top of the list is the unparalleled support they receive from Tech Helpline, the No. 1 tech support service in real estate, with the exceptional customer service and rapid response times provided by all departments.

Training

Since its redesign, Form Simplicity has become one of the most intuitive, easy-to-use transaction management solutions that new agents pick up instantly. That reduces agent workflow disruption as brokers need to provide less training and avoid pulling agents out of their sales cycle. For agents who need extra help, Form Simplicity also offers outstanding training support for association staff and members to help maximize all the features it provides.

Specialized Smart Forms

Smart forms are at the heart of Form Simplicity – forms that allows agents to enter property data once and then automatically populate that information wherever it appears on other forms. The power of autofill in Form Simplicity is something agents covet as it reduces risk. Forms are programmed to perform calculations, conditional fields, custom mapping and more. In addition, agents no longer have to enter the same information repeatedly, which is a waste of their time and talents.

It's why Form Simplicity spends so much time behind the scenes refining its technology to make sure its streamlined form programming process is unmatched in the industry. As a result, we can take custom forms an association has and turn them into Specialized Smart Forms, offering them as part of Form Simplicity – another huge benefit for agents.

More than just convenient

Security

Turning a paper-intensive business into a digitally-driven process creates more than convenience. Having safe and highly secure (bank-grade) access to all your files in a single place online increases the productivity of every agent.

Collaboration

Collaboration is key to success in real estate. Unique to our business, competing agents must rely on each other to create a successful transaction. Embedded into Form Simplicity are features that enable a highly collaborative process – in real-time.

Some agents want a clean document and to make sure everything is in place before sending it out for signatures. Form Simplicity's built-in collaboration feature allows an agent to share a form with another agent involved in the transaction to capture negotiated points accurately before sending out for signing.

Customizable Email Signatures

Another unexpected benefit Form Simplicity offers agents is offering an email signature that automatically populates. It takes just a few seconds to set up, and the agent's name and contact information are at the end of every email sent from within Form Simplicity.

FREE Assistant Accounts

Brokers benefit from the ability to create an "Assistant" account to help them manage forms. Also, Form Simplicity allows brokers to set specific permissions, giving them the ability to designate access for an office or a particular agent.

Switch User

The "switch user" feature that Form Simplicity offers helps keep busy brokers on task. For example, suppose a broker or their designated office assistant needs to take a quick look at an agent's transaction. In that case, the switch user function allows them to access the transaction, assist or provide an answer to the agent, and switch back to their Broker View. This feature is in addition to the more comprehensive Broker Review process, designed solely to allow brokers to respond quickly to urgent questions or agent needs.

Is Form Simplicity for you?

The final "unexpected benefit" that Form Simplicity offers both agents and brokers is an invisible feature. Form Simplicity is industry-run, operated by the Florida Realtors, the nation's largest state association. Unlike other leading transaction management software offerings, there is no influence from Wall Street or venture capital investors. At Florida Realtors, serving the needs of the real estate community and homeowners comes first, period.

Associations/MLSs/brokerages can rest assured that our pricing model is fair and not inflated. Our pricing is also very straight forward unlike other companies on the market, making it easier for clients to get a very clear picture of what the pricing is, without having to account for multiple add-ons. Mobile compatibility, broker tools, and support are examples of this.

Some 68 brokers from 16 Florida communities came together in 1916 to mark the beginning of the Florida Realtors. Today, Florida Realtors, now more than 205,000 members strong, continues unaltered in its mission to meet the needs of its members. That's why Form Simplicity and its sister firm Tech Helpline offer agents and brokers additional peace of mind, knowing that agents, brokers, and the Florida Realtor are always working together.

To learn more about Form Simplicity, go to formsimplicity.com.

Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns and operates Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.